Summer quinoa salad with arugula and berries
Summer quinoa salad is mixed with arugula, fresh berries, goat cheese, walnuts and an easy honey lime vinaigrette for a light and pretty side dish.
Yield: 6 -8 servings
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 3-4 cups of baby arugula
- ⅔ cup sliced strawberries
- ⅔ cup blackberries
- 2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- Optional: 1 diced avocado
For the honey lime vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1 lime
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ teaspoons dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions then set aside to cool.
- Combine the cooled quinoa, arugula, strawberries, blackberries, goat cheese and nuts in a large bowl.
- To make the vinaigrette: Combine all ingredients in a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake until the ingredients are well combined.
- When ready to serve, pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat well. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
The quinoa for this recipe needs to be cooked and cooled, so please plan accordingly. (If you are in a hurry, you can pop your cooked quinoa into a large cold bowl so it’s well spread out. Then stick it in the freezer to help cool it down. Not ideal, but it’ll work in a pinch.)
I love the peppery arugula in this recipe but you could substitute baby spinach or a spring mix if you prefer.
Feel free to swap out the fruits for your favorites. Fresh ripe blueberries or raspberries would also work well here.
This serves about 5-6 as a dinner side dish or about 8-10 or more as a party side salad.
To prep this ahead, fix all of the ingredients but keep the walnuts and the dressing separate until you’re ready to serve. That way everything stays fresh and crisp and delicious.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 270mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g
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